defer to
phrasal verb
deferred to; deferring to; defers to
1
: to allow (someone else) to decide or choose something
You have more experience with this, so I'm going to defer to you.
deferring to the experts
2
defer to (something)
: to agree to follow (someone else's decision, a tradition, etc.)
The court defers to precedent in cases like these.
He deferred to his parents' wishes.
Examples of defer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
College basketball officials, according to those in the business, are taught not to make calls from the baseline through a tangle of bodies, instead deferring to one of your partners trailing the play.
—
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
In 2024, the county commissioners—who, according to Brandon, tend to defer to his uncle—voted to cut the constable’s salary from roughly a hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars a year to roughly thirty-one thousand dollars.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Kering’s call option to acquire Mayhoola’s stake in 2028 is also deferred to 2029.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 21 Jan. 2026
Grier, conversely, would often defer to the wishes of others.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
In 2024, the county commissioners—who, according to Brandon, tend to defer to his uncle—voted to cut the constable’s salary from roughly a hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars a year to roughly thirty-one thousand dollars.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Kering’s call option to acquire Mayhoola’s stake in 2028 is also deferred to 2029.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 21 Jan. 2026
Grier, conversely, would often defer to the wishes of others.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
